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Fox is saying we're "on the verge" of getting Gagne for Gabbard + an unnamed player. "It is possible the Red Sox will allow him to share the closer's role with Jonathan Papelbon."

Annoying the Yankees is almost the best thing about this, if it happens. I feel conflicted about losing Gabbard, and as far as I know this is strictly a rental. There was a lot of talk about possible changes to Gagne's contract to compensate him for the loss of closing incentives.

i don't get it -- why give up a promising young arm (who is filling an important role in the starting rotation right now and may be needed as we head toward the post-season depending on how schilling's arm holds up) for a closer who may or may not be past his prime -- especially when we have Papelbon doing a fine job as a closer? can somebody explain this to me?

"I don't think that's quite how Gagne will be used. I think that he'll be made the co-closer.

"One of the problems we've been running into with Paps is when to use him. He's our only closer and we have to be concerned with overwork. And, sometimes there are no save situations for him to close. So, the biggest problem so far has been that Paps often sits too long between appearances and he can't be as sharp (see his last game on Saturday, as a prime example.) IF we make Gagne and Paps our co-closers then that problem can go away because Tito can make sure that both guys get the right amount of work to stay sharp and he doesn't have to worry whether he'll have a closer for the next game. He'll always have a closer. So, Paps can come into a non-save situation just to stay sharp and IF there's a need for a closer the next game, no worries, because Gagne is there...and vice versa.

There will be days when they are used in the same game, sure, but it won't be exclusively that. They'll be co-closers."

***

If this works out, I can't begin to tell you how fucking excited I'll be. THIS! is a bullpen by committee. And a fucking great one with Jeemer, Gagne and the Bot.

This bullpen is going to be obscenely awesome if this deal pushes through. Sad to see Gabbard go, but he did his job. Schill will be back and if anyone else is out we've got ol reliable Sexy Lips to plug the hole.

But, if Gagne comes over, the starters will only have to go 5 innings - MDC in the 6th, Jeemer in the 7th, Gagne and Papelbon in the 8th/9th. Throw in Tavarez now and then and we're golden.

"But, if Gagne comes over, the starters will only have to go 5 innings - MDC in the 6th, Jeemer in the 7th, Gagne and Papelbon in the 8th/9th. Throw in Tavarez now and then and we're golden."

It will be a great pen, but let's not get all Michael Kay about it--those guys can't pitch every single day. But having that many solid guys, we can mix and match.

Sorry about the Kay jab. It's just that he was always so sure about it--"Yankee starters only have to go 6. Then you've got Sturtze, Gordon, and Mo", who he pukingly called TanGorMo, as if just plugging in guys means A. they can pitch every day and B. they will succeed every time. (And before that it was Quantrill and Gordon before Mo. Ha.) Anyway, our current pen is way better than that...

Huge difference: Remy goofin around, Kay acting like Tan GorMor was the official nickname of a robo-pitching machine for the three greatest Yankees of all time who cannot be stopped. Until they all get overcooked by Torre and shit the bed at the end of the year.

And now Bob Ryan just brings up the 96 Yanks, the "original 6 inning game" with Nelson and Stanton, then Mo and Wetteland. This is what Kay was thinking was just an automatic 7 years later--as long as you've got a few names that go into certain spots, the starters only have to go 6.

The more I think about this deal, the more I totally love it. You know Theo was just like, "They think we can't assess relief pitching? They think I don't know how to build a bullpen? I'll show them a f*cking bullpen." Love it.

"But the Red Sox, who entered Tuesday leading the AL East by eight games over the New York Yankees, didn't want to take any chances of blowing their big lead and acquired Gagne to bolster the back end of their bullpen after consecutive implosions last weekend by Papelbon and Manny Delcarmen."

One comment attached to the Gagne trade article on fannation made the interesting assertion that the Sox were not trying to keep Gagne from the Yanks, but from the Tigers. Not that I think that was the primary thrust, but maybe an interesting secondary one. Hard to imagine them continuing their slide.

And if the Angels haven't been able to add Teixiera or Glaus, that improves the playoff picture for us as well.

"They think I don't know how to build a bullpen? I'll show them a f*cking bullpen." Awesome. Effing hilarious.

I do wish we'd gotten some kind of offensive punch, though. We've strengthened our strength, as far as I can tell. What I worry about are Ortiz/Drew injuries, more than the bullpen crumbling, is what I'm saying.

"He'll serve as Jonathan Papelbon's setup man and close on days that Papelbon is getting rest. ... Gabbard was scheduled to pitch for the Red Sox on Wednesday night. Instead, Tim Wakefield will take his place."